ERIN FLANNERY – Gold Coast, Queensland

Gold Coast artist Erin Flannery is putting her sunny home town on the art map with her colourful, almost mythical and always stunning canvas paintings. Her paintings are somewhat of a visual playground, with a breathtaking array of different colours, brushstrokes and patterns, and my favourite pieces of all – the incredible Luna Sea canvases – are just like staring into a daydream, full of a million different stories and possibilities.

I was first introduced to the amazing work of Erin Flannery through an Almost Famaus Q&A recommendation from another wonderful Australian artist, Kelly Smith. If you’re going to trust anyone for a good art recommendation, Kelly is a pretty safe bet! I tracked Erin down on Instagram (@erinisanartist) and quickly fell in love with her work, so I’m incredibly happy to now be able to share her story as well as some brand new work from this very talented Queenslander.

Your paintings are like a colourful wonderland on canvas, just magical! How much do you pre-plan your work? Or does it just come to you as the brush hits the canvas?

I’d say its about 50/50 – I have a fairly good idea of where I’m headed with most canvases but I’m always on the lookout for unplanned paint spills, drips and random brushstrokes…. I love when that happens.

Have you always been an artistic person since you were a child?

Yes! I grew up with creative things happening all around me. I’ always lived out of town so I had to get creative to entertain myself. I was always running around with old broken film cameras, making paper and marbling it, dyeing fabric, cooking, knitting, growing things – you name it I tried it!

Your incredible Luna Sea canvases are so absolutely stunning, I could sit and stare at them all day! When you paint them, is there a story behind them or are they quite simply a beautiful collection of shape and colour? (Images three and seven below)

Aw, thank you! I’d say they are more the collection of shape and colour but lots of people seem to form their own little connections with sections of each canvas – that’s what I love about them. I don’t think canvases have to be jam-packed full of meaning…sometimes they can be just really beautiful to look at and that’s enough!

You live on the Gold Coast, which I suppose isn’t a place people immediately think of as an artistic hub in the way Melbourne or Sydney are considered. How would you describe the art scene in Queensland?

It’s funny, most people who say they don’t like the Gold Coast haven’t been for for about 5-10+ years. Things are really changing here, especially in the cafe and art scene. There are more and more gallery spaces, studios, and markets popping up and staying put! It’s great to see.

I am represented by Anthea Polson Art – a gorgeous gallery here on the Gold Coast and my art sells all around the world from there! I’m so lucky to live in such a beautiful clean space with the best beaches, rain forests, clear blue skies all year round, good coffee and to be able to paint for a living. The internet allows me to be anywhere in the world while I work so why not live in paradise while I do it?!

What would be your ultimate goal to achieve as an artist? And what is coming up next for you? Basically just to continue refining my style, improving my technique and sending art out into the world! It’s still funny for me to think the pictures I paint hang on real peoples walls!

I have just finished painting a bunch of new canvases that are heading to Fenton & Fenton in Melbourne this week – I cant wait to see my work in such a gorgeous space, it’s all very exciting! I’m also currently working on an exciting print collaboration with Kelly Smith!

And following all of that I have a solo exhibition at Anthea Polson Art coming up in 2015. Who knows what the rest of 2015 will hold….hopefully lots of gorgeous colours, brushstrokes and new art-filled adventures